Valve action for pipe organs



June 24. 1930. H. F. wATERs n; ACTION FOR PIPE ORGANS Filed Dec.v 21K,y192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l ...6. .m mmw. NA .mw NF. /Y A n n. Hm Y 5 June24, 1930. H. F. WATERS Y` 1,767,724 VALVE ACTION' FOR PIPEv ORGANS IfFiled De@ 21, 1927 2 sheets-shea, 2

Illim "d 25 through which the air woul Patented June 24, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY F. WATERS, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TOMAGNETIC OBGAN .ACTION COMPANY, OF UNIVERSITY CITY, MISSOURI, A.CORPORATION 0F MISSOURI VALVE ACTION FOR PIPE ORGANS Application ledDecember 21,. 1927.

19 the associated pipes thereof is greatly reduced. In other words,`themain object of the invention is to produce an improve valve actionwhich, because of its construction, may be arranged in very closeproximity to the orifice in the toe of the associated pipe through whichair passes to cause said pipe to speak.

Prior to this invention, the valve actions of most pipe organs withwhich I am familiar were located a considerable distance from the toesof the pipes with which said valve actions were respectively associated,and as a result of this arrangement, it was necessary to providerelatively lon passageways E pass from the wind chest of the organ tothe pipes thereof. A number of distinct disadvantages arose out of thisarrangement, one of the more important ones being that a loss of airpres- 3o sure was felt due to excessive friction between the movingbodies of air and the walls of the relatively long air passageways. Inaddition to this, the action of the organ was rendered relatively slowbecause of the time consumed for the air to pass through the extendedpassaqeways.

My improved valve action is so constructed that it may be located invery close proximity to the toe of the associated pipe,

whereby the need for relatively long air passageways is eliminated.

Another object of my invention is to produce a relatively simple valveconstruction which will permit of the valve mechanism being easily andreadily dismantled for the purpose of repairing same, or for any otherpurpose.

Figure l is a. fragmentary section showing my improved valve actionassociated Serial No. 241,511.

with a portion of the wind chest and a portion of a pipe of an organ;

Figure 2 is a cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower portion of apipe showing my improved valve action located within said pipe;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of :mother form of myinvention in accordance with which the valve mechanism is supported bythe top wall of the wind chest of the organ;

Figure 5 is a modified form of the arrangement shown in Fig. 4;

F igure 6 is a fragmentary section showing,r a form of my invention inaccordance with which the valve seat is secured to the associated pipe;

Figure 7 is a view of a construction similar to that shown in Fig. 6 butwhich provides for securing the entire valve mechanism to the lower endof the associated pipe.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, A designates the Wind chest of a pipe yorganand B is the top wall thereof which is provided with an opening C.Secured by suitable fastening devices to the top wall B of the windchest A at the top face thereof and in )osition immediately above theopening is a pipe block l, said pipe block being adapted to overlap themarginal edge of the opening C and is provided with a centrally arrangeddownwardly-extended portion 2 which is provided with screw threads atits circumference and is extended into the opening C. The pipe block 1is provided with a centrally arranged passageway 3 formed therethrough,and 4L designates a downwardlyextended annular portion which provides avalve seat at its lower end. The pipe block l isvprovided with adepression or seat 5 adapted to support a pipe P, there being a gasket Gof suitable material interposed between said seat and-the lower end ofsaid pipe, whereby the joint between said elements is renderedfluid-tight. The gasket is provided with a central opening formedtherethrough which is in registration with the passageway 3 and with theorifice in the toe of the pipe.

7 designates a sleeve internally threaded at its opposite ends, whichsleeve is located within the opening C in the top wall of the windchest, said sleeve being screwed at its upper end to the threadedportion 2 of the pipe block l. rIhe sleeve 7 is Drovided with aplurality of apertures S formed through the wall thereof. Screwed intothe lower end of the sleeve 7 is a plug 9, said plug being hollow andbeing provided with a flange 9 adapted to contact with the lower edge ofthe sleeve 'l'. Supported by the plug 9 referred to is an electro-magnet10 of ordinary construction, the windings of said electro-magnet, as isordinarily the case, being arranged in electrical contact with a feedwire and a ground wire (not shown) within the wind chest A. Theelectro-mag net l0 is secured to the plug 9 in any con venient manner,and the core 10 of said electro-magnet is U-shaped and the upper endsthereof terminate approximately in alinement with the top edge of saidplug.

ll designates the armature of the electromagnet l0, said armature beingarranged for vertical movement within the sleeve 7 at a pointintermediate of the upper ends of the U-shaped core 10 and the valveseat provided at the lower end of the portion 4. The armature Ilpreferably is composed of a disk of Swedish metal which is faced at itstop and bottom with material such as leather or felt oi' any othersuitable material. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 1 that thediameter of the armature 1l is only slightly less than the interiordiameter of the sleeve 7 and the armature is capable of floating withinthe sleeve. In other words, there is no physical connection between thearmature and any of the associated parts of the valve action, saidarmature being kept in its proper position, in so far as lateralmovement is concerned, by being confined within the sleeve 7. IVithrespect to the size of the armature, it will be noted that its diameteris much greater than the diameter of the downwardly-extended portion 4of the pipe block l. In other words, when the armature is located in theposition suggested by dotted lines in Fig. l, in which position thepassagewayv 3 would be closed, there would be a space adjacent to thecircumference of the armature between the top face of said armature andthe bottom face of the portion 2 of the pipe block l. l2 designates acoil spring which is interposed between the bottom face of the armature1l and the tops of the coils of the electro-magnet 10, said coil springbeing characterized by a tendency to force the armature Il upwardly.

In the operation of a pipe organ provided with my improved valve action.Athe depression of a key of the organ completes an electric circuit andthereby energies the electro-magnet l() associated with the depressedkey. The armature l1, the normal position of which is in contact withthe valve scat at the bottom face of the portion 4 of the pipe block l,attracted and drawn downwardly by the energized magnet, and this willpermit air within the wind chest A to pass through the apertures 8 inthe wall of the sleeve 7 and through the passageway 3 into the pipe P,whereby said pipe will be caused to speak. In connection with theoperation of an organ equipped with my improved valve actions, it isimportant to note that the valve action acts directly on the associatedpipe; that is to say, the magnet draws the armature downwardly, thusopening the valve and permitting air to pass into the pipe instead of,as is frequently the case, operating a valve to permit air which holdsthe valve in a closed position to be exhausted, and in this manner,cause the valve controlling the passage of air into the pipe to beopened. It would seem that when the magnet l0 is energized and thearmature 11 drawn downwardly, said magnet must overcome the pressure ofthe air, acting against the entire area of the lower face of thearmature. This, however, is not the case, as the pressure per squareinch of the air within the space between the top face of said armatureand the bottom face of the portion 2 of the pipe block is the same asthe pressure per square inch being exerted against the bottom face ofthe armature. The result of this is that the only portion of the bottomface of the armature against which air pressure is being exerted whichmust be overcome by the magnet is a portion of the bottom face of thearmature having an area equal to the area of the bottom face of theportion 4 of the pipe block, and therefore, a smaller' magnet may beemployed and less electric current used than if the air pressure exertedagainst the entire area of the lower face of the armature had to beovercome by the magnet. A decided saving is realized because of theopportunity to use smaller electrical devices because much of theharmful sparking which would be encountered in the use of largerelectrical devices is eliminated.

Fig. 3 illustrates a form of the invention in accordance with which myimproved valve action is located within the toe portion of the pipe P.In accordance with this form of the invention, the pipe P is providedwith a transverse wall l5 adapted to divide the toe portion of the pipefrom the upper portion thereof, and said transverse wall is providedwith a central opening formed therethrough. 7 designates a sleeve whichis supported in the central opening in the wall l5 and is suspended fromsaid wall. said sleeve being provided with openings 8al formed in thewall thereof. The sleeve 7 may be secured to the wall 15 in any suitablemanner to produce a Huid-tight joint between these elements. As is thecase in connection with the sleeve 7 shown in Fig. 1, the sleeve 7a isprovided with internal screw threads at its upper end, and 1ELdesignates a member which is adapted to be screwed into said upper endof said sleeve. The member 1a is provided with a flange adapted tooverlap the top edge of the sleeve 7 and the top face of the transversewall 15, and said member is also provided with a portion 4EL whichextends downwardly from the lower face of the member and provides anannular valve seat which surrounds the lower end of the assageway 3formed through the memer 1. f

The lower portion of the valve action shown in Fig. 3 is constructedjust as is the lower portion of the valve action shown in Fig. 1; thatis to say, the hollow plug 9a is screwed into the lower end of thesleeve 7, and this plug supports in any convenient manner anelectro-magnet 10a. The core of the electro-magnet is U-shaped and theupper ends thereof are arranged in approximate alinement with the topedge of the plug 9"'. 11 designates an armature adapted for verticalmovement between the valve seat formed by the portion 4 of the member 1aand the upper ends of the core of the magnet, and 12FL designates a coilspring which is adapted to force the armature 11 toward the valve seatthereabove.

The valve action shown in Fig. 3 is arranged within the pipe Pa beforethe lower end of said pipe is secured to the upper portion thereof, andin operation, completion of the electric circuit leading to theelectromagnet 1()FL will cause said magnet to be energized, thus drawingthe armature 11 away from the valve seat at the lower end of thepassageway 3, and thus permitting air to pass through said passageway 3ainto the pipe to cause same to speak.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I show two forms of the invention which are verysimilar. In the operation of the valve action shown in Fig. 4, thearmature 11b is seated against the passageway 3l in the top wall of thewind chest Al. In other words, the lower face of the portion of the topwall of the wind chest adjacent to the passageway 3" functions as avalve seat against which the armature is seated. In this form of theinvention, the sleeve 7b is secured to the top wall of the wind chest atthe lower face thereof instead of to the pipe block as in Fig. 1.

The construction shown in Fig. 5 is exactly like that shown in Fig. 4with the exception that the sleeve 7 is provided with a top wall 16having a downwardly-extended annular flange 1 7 which provides anannular valve seat surrounding the lower portion of the passageway 3'against which the armature 11c is moved to close said passageway 3C.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 includes an element 1d whichis soldered or otherwise secured to the pipe Pd. The element 1d isprovided with a central opening 3d formed therethrough which registerswith the orifice in the toe portion of the pipe Pd and said element isprovided with a downwardly-extended annular flange 4d which surroundsthe lower end of the passageway 3d. In all other respects, theconstruction shown in Fig. 6 is the same as that shown in Fig. 4, thearmature 11d being movable toward and away from the valve seat formed bythe annular flange 4d to permit or prevent passage of air through thepassagen Fig. 7 I illustrate a form of the invention according to whichthe sleeve 7 e is soldered or otherwise secured to the pipe Pe insteadof being secured to the top wall of the wind chest as in Fig. 6. In thisform of the invention, all of the elements of the valve action aresupported by the sleeve 7e.

Throughout this specification and in some of the claims, I refer to anelectro-magnet as the means for causing movement of the armature; but itis obvious, of course, that instead of an electro-magnet, I may employ asolenoid or similar electrical device for this purpose, and I do notwish, therefore, to be limited to the use of an electro-magnet.

I claim:

1. An organ comprising a wind chest, a pipe having a passageway leadingthereto through which air may pass from said wind chest into said pipe,and a valve action arranged in close proximity to an end of saidpassageway, said valve action including a perforated sleeve, a ioatingvalve element within said sleeve and an electrical device for causingmovement of said valve element, said floating valve element beingdirectly associated with said pipe in a manner to directly control thepassage of air through said passageway and into said pipe, and theinterior of said sleeve being of only slightly greater diameter thansaid valve element, whereby excessive lateral movement of said valveelement with respect to said sleeve is prevented.

2. An organ comprising a wind chest, a pipe having an orifice in the toeportion thereof through which air may pass from the wind chest into saidpipe, and a valve action arranged in close proximity to the orifice insaid pipe, said valve action including a perforated sleeve, supportingmeans above said sleeve from which same is suspended, said supportingmeans being provided with a port formed therein leading directly to theorifice in the toe portion of said pipe, an electrical. device at thelower end of said sleeve and an armature within said sleeve, saidarmature being adapted to 'function as a closure for the port in saidsupporting means and being capable of being attracted by said electricaldevice, whereby said arn'iature may be moved to a position where air maypass through the :ort in said supporting means.

An organ comprising a wind chest having an opening formed in a wallthereof, a pipe having an. orifice in the toe portion thereoil throughwhich air may pass from the wind chest into said pipe, a pipe blockprovided with an air passageway formed therethrough, said pipe blockbeing ixed to said wind chest above the opening in the wall there-oitand being adapted to support the pipe, and the air passageway formedthrough said pipe block leading directly to the orilice in the toeportion ot said pipe, and a valve action arranged in close proximity tothe oritiee in said pipe, said valve action including a perloratedsleeve suspended 'from said pipe bloeit, a valve seat located at thelower end of' the passageway formed through said pipe block and at apoint within said sleeve, an electrical device at the lower end of saidsleeve and an armature within said sleeve, said armature being adaptedto function as a closure for the passageway in said pipe block' andbeing capable of being attracted by said electrical device away fromsaid valve seat, whereby air may pass through the passageway 1n saidpipe block.

l. An organ comprising a wind chest having an opening formed in a wallthereo'l, a pipe having an orilice in the toe portion thereot throughwhich air may pass from the wind chest into said pipe, a pipe blockprovided with an air passageway formed therethrough, said pipe blockbeing iixed to said wind chest above the opening in a wall thereof andbeing adapted to support the pipe, and the air passageway formed throughsaid pipe block leading directly to the orilice in the toe portion ofsaid pipe, and a valve action arranged in close proximity to the orificein said pipe, said valve action including a perforated sleeve suspendedfrom said pipe block, a valve seat located at the lower end of thepassageway formed through said pipe block and at a point within saidsleeve, an electrical device at the lower end ot said sleeve, anarmature within said sleeve and a spring adapted to urge said armaturetowai'd said valve seat, said armature being adapted to function as aclosure for the passageway in said pipe block and being capable of beingattracted by said electrical device away from said valve seat, wherebyair may pass through the passageway in said pipe block.

An organ comprising a wind chest, a pipe having an orifice in the tocportion thereof through which air may pass from said wind chest intosaid pipe, and a valve action arranged in close proximity to the orificein said pipe, said valve action including a sleeve, supporting means forsaid sleeve from which same is suspended, said supporting means beingprovided with a port formed therein leading directly to the orilice inthe toe portion of said pipe, an electrical device at the lower end ofsaid sleeve, a valve seat located adjacent to the lower end of the portformed through said supporting means, and a valve element in the form ofan armature arranged for movement within said sleeve, said valve elementbeing adapted to be moved into Contact with said valve seat to preventpassage of air through the port in said supporting means and to be movedaway from said valve seat by said electrical device, and the diameter ofsaid valve element being greater than that of said valve seat, wherebyair pressure from within said wind chest may be exerted against the taceof said valve element opposite to the face thereof on which saidelectrical device acts, whereby said electrical device is aided inmoving said valve element to an open position.

(5. An organ comprising a wind chest, a sound producing device having apassageway leading directly thereto through which air may pass from saidwind chest into said device, and a valve action arranged in closeproximity to an end of said passagewav, said valve action including afloating valve element, a guiding member for guiding said lioating valveelement throughout its entire stroke, and an electrical device forcausing movement ot' said floating valve element, said fioating valveelement being arranged to move into open and closed positions withrespect to the adjacent end of said passageway to directly control thepassage of air through said device.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY F. lVATERS.

